


Happiness and Slander

by intheinkpot



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/F, Family, Family Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-24
Updated: 2019-01-24
Packaged: 2019-10-15 11:13:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17527661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/intheinkpot/pseuds/intheinkpot
Summary: Alecto watches Bellatrix teach her daughter how to fly on a toy broom.





	Happiness and Slander

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: delicate

Alecto watches Bellatrix help Delphi onto a toy broom. It only rises about a foot in the air, Delphi’s shoes brushing the top of the grass, but Bellatrix keeps her hands on her daughter’s shoulders anyway so she doesn’t tumble the short distance to the soft ground. Alecto doesn’t believe Delphi to be quite so delicate, but Bellatrix is protective of Delphi, and Alecto can’t help but watch with a small smile on her face, twisting the brand new wedding band around her finger.

 

“Bella, darling,” Alecto says, “I’m sure Delphi will be fine flying by herself.”

 

Bellatrix looks at her, mouth opening as though to argue, but her eyes fall to where Alecto is still playing with her wedding band, and she smiles softly, her whole face lighting up. Taking advantage of the brief distraction, Delphi shoots off, pressed flat against her broom - or Alecto is sure it _feels_ that way to Delphi, who lets out an excited yell, but she can’t be moving more than ten kilometers an hour. Alecto’s smile widens at the sight.

 

Bellatrix watches Delphi fly around the front lawn of the estate. Delphi loops around the marble water fountain.

 

“Look at me, mummy!” Delphi cries. She laughs.

 

Alecto is sure such a feat must seem much more impressive to a five-year-old, but she keeps that thought to herself. She’s never been good with children, but she wants to try for Bellatrix’s daughter -  _their_  daughter now, she thinks, feeling a familiar conflicting warmth and anxiety swell in her chest.

 

“You’re doing great, sweetie,” Bellatrix says encouragingly.

 

Delphi smiles at her mother then, catching Alecto off guard, she shouts, “Are you looking, Alex?”

 

Alecto’s lips twitch upward at the nickname. Delphi has trouble wrapping her mouth around the harder sounds of Alecto’s name, and Alecto has given up trying to correct her. It doesn’t hurt that Bellatrix thinks it’s adorable.

 

“Very good,” Alecto calls, feeling a little uncomfortable and out of her depth.

 

Delphi grins at her as she does another loop around the fountain.

 

Bellatrix moves to stand beside Alecto and kisses her cheek. She must catch something of Alecto's feelings in her expression because she gently takes Alecto's chin and turns her head so their eyes meet before she says, “You’re good with her.”

 

Alecto scoffs. “I’ve never in my life been accused of being good with children.”

 

“I know,” Bellatrix says with an amused smirk. “What awful slander.”

 

She takes Alecto’s hand in hers, rubbing her thumb over the ring. Bellatrix’s matching band gleams in the sun..

 

Alecto feels a brittle, delicate feeling in her chest, and tears spring to her eyes. She doesn’t understand it, but as she meets Bellatrix’s eyes, she thinks it might be joy and contentment - something she’s never felt before, something she never once expected to feel, not like this, not so strongly.

 

She rests her forehead against Bellatrix’s, smiling softly and murmurs, “But I’ll endure it and more for you.”


End file.
